Theatrical device



Nov. 20 19.23. 1,474,576

F. A. BEARD THEATRICAL DEVI-CE- Filed June' 27. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 'Fl Eu '7 W7 l 20 I INVENTOR. FI 5.5 FRANK A. BEARD Nov. 20, 1923.

F. A. BEARD THEATRICAL DEVICE med M927. 1922 s sums-sine 2 INVENTOR. FRANK A. BEARD A ITORNEYS Nov. 20, 1 923.

F. A. BEARD THEATRICAL DEVICE Filed .June 27. 1922' 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 III;

' INVENTQR.

FRANK A. BEARD Patented Nov. 20, 1923.,

uture s FRANK A. BEARD, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

I g was THEATRICAL DEVICE.

Application filed June 27,1922. Serial No. 571,184.

1 '0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK AJBEARD, a

citizen of the 'United States of America,

residingat Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ghio, have invented .certain new and useful Improvements in Theatrical Devices, of which the following is a specification. V

My present invention relates generally to theatrical devices and more particularly to stage settings especially those in the nature of optical illusions, my primary object being the provision of a stage setting by means of which an appearance is presented as if the audience were viewing the scene from above.

' A further object is the provision of a stage setting of the above type having normally concealed means allowing of the movement of persons and articles thereon and permitting of movement thereof in certain respects without exposing the concealed means to the audience. i

WVith these general objects in mind, further and more specific objects, as well as the resulting advantages of my invention, will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the ac companying drawings, forming'part of this specification, and wherein, V

Figure 1 is a sectionalside view illustrating the practical application of the invention,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of my improved stage setting,

Figure 3 is an end viewthereof,

Figure 4 is a partial horizontal section taken on line 44 ofFigure 3,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2, V

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation on an enlarged scale,

Figure 7 is an end view illustrating one use of the invention,

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another use,

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 10,

Figure 10 is a detail cross section on line 1010 of Figure 9,

Figure 11 is a similar viewwith the parts slightly shifted, V s

Figure 12 is a top plan view of'the shoecarried holding lug,

holding socket.

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the lug Referringnow 'to' these figures and particularly to Figures 1 tov 5 mclusive, I have shown inFigure 1 portions of astage 15.

on which my improved setting is movable by virtue of its frame 16 anounted on rollers or casters 17 and supporting an upwardly and rearwardly inclined panel 18 whose inclination approximates a right angle'to the line of vision of the audience in front of the stage 15. The panel 18 forms the main front of the setting and may be held by rearbraces 19 rising from the frame 16. the latter of which also supports a trough'2O be low and along the lower edge of the panel 18 and a suitably decorated end panel 21. This trou h has a discharge spout 22 at one end whic may be connected to a suitable flexible or other discharge pipe 23 as seen in F i re 2.

pray pipes 24 and 25 extend along the upper and lower edges of the main panel 18 and the end panel 21 and are provided therealong with spaced inclined discharge nozzles so disposed as to discharge water in a film over the panels. These spray'pipes 2st and 25 lead from a supply pipe '26, the latter' of which may include a heater 27, and said spray pipes are preferably provided wlth individual valves 28 and 29 so that they may be controlled to deliver just suflicient fluid through the'nozzles 24 and 25 to film the panels, or suflicient to not only film the panel, but causeripples across the same. In its passage over the face of the panels,'the film of water is intendedto jump certain gaps in the form of spaced openings 30 and 31 in the main panel, which are connected by a conduit 32 along the rear sur face of the panel, the latter of which" may have a central rear opening 33 shown in dot V ted lines in Figure 2.

' The panell8 may have a slot 34: extending between the openings 30'and 31 through which a rope or'other line may pass and water is preferably sprayed along the sides of the openings to join the surface film, through nozzle apertures 35 in Figure 5 fed by pipes 36 and 37 having valves 38 and 39 andleading from the pipe 24:.

Below the opening 30-panel 18 has a third opening 40, see Figureo, through which an irregularly shaped protuberance tl'is' pref:- erably adjustable so as to project moreor less through the film of water and representative of arock. This protuberance preferably embodies asecond adjustable protuberance 12 supported therein and adjustable therewith and in respect thereto. Each protuberance has a rack 13 engaged by a gear 4 1, these gears being mounted on shafts at the rear of the panel 18, each shaft having a crank 46. The forward surfaces of these rock-like protuberances have sockets 47 shown more particularly in Figures 9 to 13, which are for a purpose to be presently described and may also be former in slides or other supporting devices as for instance a boat 48 shown in Figure 8 and movable across the front face of the panel, any suitable supporting devices being utilized as indicated at al in this figure.

Alon the lower edge of the panels are preferably supported a series of rollers 50 On which a panel 51 forming an inspection front may be shifted in front of and away from the main panel 18, this inspection front when across the panel 18 completely cover ing the main panels, its openings and parts so as to conceal the same during inspection of the setting before or after its use. When the film of water is discharged over the 7 surface it is obvious this panel or inspection front 51 may be shifted laterally and withdrawn without being seen.

The panel 31 may be a mirror and the surface decoration as well as the structure of the panel 18 will of course depend upon the scene it is desired to Show, its position and arrangement making it appear to the audience that they are looking down upon per sons or articles either stationary or in movement on the panel.

To support persons or articles therein, lugs 52 as in Figures 9 to 18 are provided to cooperate with the sockets a7 before referred to, and in the case of persons, these lugs 52 are fastenedto their shoes 53 so that by shifting the feet the lugs can be disengaged and thus in the instance of the diving girl of Figure 1, she may go into the opening 30, through the conduit 32 and appear again the opening Furthermore by reversing the sockets l and lugs in pairs as shown, the performer may first disengage the front lugs and pass a rope and the like as in Figure 7 under the arch of the foot and then recngagethe front lugs and disengage the rear lugs so that the rope max be shifted completely beneath the feet. The inner-ends of the sockets a7 may be covered by doors 5% and, if so desired locking means indicated at in Figure 10 may be employed to prevent displacement of the lugs.

In use on a stage 15, the setting as a whole is first wheeled to place and a curtain 56 is preferably dropped over its upper edge. A second curtain or pad 57 may be used to cover-the lower edge and to prevent injury to the performer should the latter slip. In

the first instance the main panel 18 will be covered and concealed by the inspection panel 51, the latter being shifted from in front of the main panel after the film of water flows thereover, in order that its removal may not be observed. It is obvious an interesting and mystifying illusion will thus bepresented, which will be entertaining and capable of use in various scenic displays and with a variety of purposes.

I claim: 7

1. A. stage setting of the character described including a portable supporting frame, a scenic panel held in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position in the frame, means for discharging a film of water downwardly over said panel, and a second panel shiftable laterally across the first panel within and concealed by said water film.

2. A stage setting of the character described including a wheeled support, a main panel disposed in an inclined position in the support, means for discharging a film of water over the forward face of the said panel. and a covering panel for the main panel slidable from the latter within the water film.

A stage setting of the character described including a wheeled supporting frame, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined main scenic panel in the frame, a trough supported by the frame along the lower edge of said panel, means along the upper edge of said panel for discharging a film of water downwardly thereover, and an inspection panel normally covering the main panel and shiftable therefrom in the film of water. 7

1. A stage setting of the character de scribed including a wheeled supporting frame, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined.

main scenic panel in the frame, a trough supported by the frame along the lower edge of said panel, means along the upper'edge of said panel for discharging a film of water downwardly thereover, and an inspection panel normally covering the main panel and shiftable therefrom in the film of water, said main panel having openings therein and means for discharging water through said openings into the water film.

5. A stage setting of the character described including an upwardly and rear-' wardly inclined main panel, an inspection panel shiftable across the front face of the main panel and normally covering the same, and means for delivering a film of water over said panels under cover. ofiwhichfilm the inspection panel may be withdrawn.

6. A stage setting of the character de-- scribed including an upwardlyfand rearwardly inclined main panel, an inspection panel shiftable across the front face of the main panel and normally coveringthe same, and means for delivering a film of water over said panels under cover of which. film the inspection panel may be withdrawn, said inspection panel having a mirror surface and being imperforate.

7. A stage setting of the character descnibed including an upwardly and rear-' wardly inclined main panel, an inspection panel shiftable across the front face of the scribed including an upwardly and rear main panel and normally covering the same, and means for delivering a film of water over said panelsunder cover of which film the inspection panel may be withdrawn, said main panel having openings across which the water film flows when the inspection panel'is withdrawn. I

8. A stage setting of the character dewardly inclined main panel, an inspection panel shiftable across the front face of the main panel and normally covering the same, and means for delivering a film of water over said panels under cover of which film the inspection panel may be withdrawn, said main panel having openings across which the water film flows when the inspection panel is withdrawn, and also having a rear conduit connecting said openings.

9. A'stage setting of the character described including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined main panel, an inspection panel shiftable across the front face of the main panel and normally covering the same,

and means for delivering a film of water over said panels under cover of which film the inspection, panel may be withdrawn, said main panel having means for supportinga performer thereon.

10. A stage setting of the chanacter described including an upwardly and rearwardly inclined main panel, an inspection panel shiftable across the front face of the main panel and normally covering the same, and means for deliverlng. a film of water over said panels under cover of which film; the inspection panel may be withdrawn, and

means for supporting a performer on the main panel. g

11. A stage setting of the character described including an upwardly and rear FRANK A. BEARD. 

